


Chasing the Horizon

by greeneggs101



Series: An Ever Changing Sky [10]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Background Relationships, Families of Choice, Implied Pre-Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 10:14:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16303238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greeneggs101/pseuds/greeneggs101
Summary: Sora, despite his reputation as a sleepyhead, has been running around non-stop since the keyblade appeared to him three years ago. What does a keyblade herodowhen the worlds no longer need saving?Or: the Land of Departure is restored, Vanitas meets an old friend, and Sora has some concerns about the future. And there is hot chocolate. There isalwayshot chocolate.





	Chasing the Horizon

**Author's Note:**

> Sora's POV in this little universe of mine. YAY!
> 
> I should probably reiterate that this is completely AU after KH2 pretty much. I mean, DDD happens as it does in the game, but with more heavy Riku/Sora undertones (well... more than what is already in the game). The stories in this universe were also planned and somewhat written LONG before any KH3 trailers. So while I might include references or characters from worlds appearing in those trailers, it is still meant to be an AU. 
> 
> So this took a while to write... while some parts were written very quickly, others... not so much. Not to mention that there were like... three different scenes that I had to cut because they just rambled on. Some will appear in a future fic in this series, while the other will appear as a separate fic possibly. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Sora’s hand gripped Riku’s tight as they stared up at Castle Oblivion. 

 

When they had first returned here all those months ago to revive Ventus, Sora had been nervous then too. Afraid that if he stepped inside he’d lose his memories all over again. Riku had taken his hand and reassured him such an event would never happen again. 

 

Still, Sora felt his heart hammer nervously as they approached the castle.  

 

Ven and Terra pulled open the tall heavy doors and led their small group inside. As Sora’s eyes adjusted to the bright interior, he saw the scorch marks and dents made from their last visit to save Ven (and by extension Xion and Roxas) as they escaped from the Organization members. 

 

At least this visit wouldn’t end that badly. He hoped. 

 

“Argh... does it have to be so bright?!” a voice to his left said. 

 

Sora turned to his golden eyed twin, still not quite sure why he was here. Riku had insisted that Vanitas accompany them, much to the black haired boy’s derision. It was only after much bribery on both Riku’s and Ven’s side that Vanitas even contemplated tagging along. 

 

“Why  _ is _ it so white, Aqua?” Terra asked, shielding his own eyes. 

 

“I’m not sure...” Aqua admitted, glancing around in a way that made Sora think that, despite their recent victory, she would always be on the lookout for enemies. “Master Eraqus just said that the trick would confuse those who would seek this place out.”

 

“Well, thirteen floors of the same identical hallway would confuse people,” Sora offered. He could only remember this place in his dreams. Details faded as soon as he woke, but he did feel like he had run down the same hallway over and over. 

 

“It doesn’t look anything like home...” Ven sighed. 

 

Vanitas scoffed, “That’s why we’re here though, right? To change it back?”

 

“Right! I think we have to go back to the room Ven slept in,” Aqua stated, already heading towards the stairs.

 

Much like the last time they were here to revive Ven, the trip ended up being much faster with Aqua in the lead. At least this time the hallways didn’t seem as... clinical.  

 

All through the hallways, Sora kept glancing over at Riku, only to find his boyfriend looking distracted. Turquoise eyes seemed to focus on every shadowed corner and pillar. Sora thought he was being a bit paranoid. As if anything could actually hide in a hallway this bright. 

 

Suddenly, his feet caught the edge of the next staircase and it was only Riku’s quick reflexes that prevented him from face planting. 

 

“Just learning?” Riku teased, pulling Sora back to his feet, but Sora could tell Riku’s heart wasn’t into it today. 

 

“Shut up...” Sora muttered, just as half heartedly. He glanced up to see Terra, Ven and Aqua giving him concerned looks. He shrugged them off and motioned for them to continue. “I’m fine! Promise, just... tripped over my feet.”

 

“With shoes that big, I’m not surprised...” Vanitas came up from behind and gave Sora a little push. 

 

Sora was fairly sure Vanitas only meant to tease, though he nearly fell forward again with the force of the push. The black haired boy looked apologetic for a second before running ahead of them up the stairs. 

 

“You sure you’re okay?” Riku asked, the hand that had been gripping Sora’s upper arm moving so it cupped the back of the brunet’s head. 

 

“Yeah...” Sora grinned, “I’m totally fine, it’s you I’m worried about....”

 

“Me?” Riku’s brow furrowed. 

 

“Yeah, you’ve been weird this whole trip.” Sora held up his fingers to list off, “You insisted that Vanitas come, despite his rather vocal protests. Then you insisted that I come as well though I promised Kairi I’d spar against her today. Now you’re glancing behind every pillar like your expecting Organization XIII to pop out at any time!”

 

“Well...” Riku trailed off rubbing the back of his neck with the hand not touching Sora. “You know... something may still be hovering around. The organization did like to experiment.oo0iu90o

 

Sora frowned and pulled on Riku’s arm so they hovered at the back as the rest continued up the stairs. “I thought you said Vexen’s experiments were all in the basement.”

 

“Well... Xion’s proof that some of them had legs. It’s possible that it may have traveled up a few floors,” Riku muttered back.

 

Sora let out a deep sigh, “Riku... you gotta relax. We won... we can all just relax for a moment. Not be on 24 hour alert.” 

 

Sora felt Riku’s fingers drift up into his hair as the silver haired man leaned down and gave him a short kiss. Sora couldn’t help but grin when they parted. That never got old. 

 

“I know.... But we can’t all be a sleepyhead like you... I just... I got a feeling...”

 

“A bad feeling?” Sora questioned. 

 

“Not sure...”

 

“If you two don’t stop flirting, we will leave you behind,” Vanitas’s voice called from the top of he steps. “I would like to get back to the tower sometime before we all grow old and die of starvation.”

 

“You’re not going to die of starvation...” Sora couldn’t practically hear Terra roll his eyes when he said that, “We’ve brought plenty of snacks.”

 

“You brought plenty of snacks for Ventus and Sora...The rest of us will have to fight over their leftovers.”

 

Sora heard Riku hide a chuckle behind a cough and even he couldn’t help but smile a bit. “I don’t eat that much!” he called up, his protests echoed by Ven. When Riku and Sora got to the top, they were met with giggles from the older keyblade wielders, Ven’s face flushed in embarrassment. 

 

“C’mon...” Aqua said as her chuckles died down. “We can eat once we get the castle back to normal...” 

 

They quickly ascended the next staircase, which was thankfully the final one. The door ahead was still open from their last escapade, the glowing symbols shimmering across the walls. 

 

Ven and Vanitas were both hesitant to step inside, only doing so when Aqua and Terra did so without a problem. Sora and Riku followed behind. 

 

“It’s... different than what I pictured...” Ven stated looking around in awe. 

 

“It’s so bright...” Vanitas shielded his eyes, “How were you able to sleep at all?”

 

Aqua hurried behind the chair that Ven had once slept on, “I’m sure it’ll turn back to normal once we get the trick undone...” She summoned her keyblade and went around to the back of the chair. As she held up her keyblade, a glow formed at the tip. vdfafcda

 

Sora quickly ran around to see what she was doing, hearing Riku and the others following close behind. A keyhole was forming on the back of the chair. “It’s like when I locked all of the worlds’ keyholes.”

 

“Yep,” Aqua agreed, “Master Eraqus said that this is something similar, but because the land of departure is a bit special, the world got locked away as Castle Oblivion.” quickly, she thrusted her keyblade into the keyhole and turned it.

 

Sora heard a resounding  _ click _ ! Before a bright flash of light encompassed them all. 

 

When Sora was able to blink his eyes open, he found himself standing in a grand hall of some sort, now bathed in browns and golds with a large stained glass window bathing them all jewel colored lights. 

 

“Wow...” Riku breathed beside him, and Sora nodded in agreement. 

 

“It’s beautiful...” Sora grinned at the sunlight peeking in from the other windows. 

 

“It’s home.” Ven’s voice was soft and sure. 

 

\---

 

Of course, restoring Castle Oblivion to the Land of Departure didn’t erase all the damage that had been done to the castle throughout the years. Sora found it odd that some surfaces were covered in a thick layer of dust, while others were clean, as if just polished. The lighting in some hallways worked without issue, while other lights had burned out long ago, leaving long windowless passageways in the dark. 

 

Much like what had become of Hollow Bastion in the time Leon and the others had been away, the Castle part had its fair share of damages that would have to be repaired before they could be lived in again. When they glanced outside the windows, they found the training grounds and distant fields in a similar state of repair. 

 

“We can rebuild,” Terra stated, looking like he wanted to start right now. 

 

“And we will,” Aqua agreed, “But first... lunch!”

 

Ven eagerly led the way to the kitchens where Sora was more than a little leary to see what kind of food would have been left behind. While Aqua had put the castle in a sort of stasis, did that mean all of time stopped, or did time flow normally? Either way, Sora wasn’t sure if he could stomach near fifteen-year-old food, no matter how hungry he was. 

 

Thankfully (or maybe not) Ven reported that the pantry cupboards were bare, as was the fridge. 

 

“That’s odd...” Aqua murmured, poking her head into the cabinets as well. “It’s not like it could have rotted away completely...”

 

“It might have been consumed or thrown out by the first Organization,” Riku theorized, already divvying up the snacks they had brought just in case. “Some of them had been living here for a while... but I think it still had been ten about years before Xemnas or Xehanort...er...” he shot a guilty glance at Terra who blushed a little and rubbed the back of his head, “Well... they didn’t take it over till later.” 

 

“Aww man... and I had been saving that cereal too...” Ven’s head drooped and his darker half stared at him half in puzzlement and half in concern. 

 

“Please tell me you weren’t going to eat 15 year old stale cereal,” Vanitas begged. At Ven’s guilty silence, the dark haired boy let out a sigh, “That’s disgusting. I can’t believe I came from you...”

 

“Well... I guess it’s a good thing you are your own person now then, right?” Ven offered a small grin which Vanitas returned after hesitating a moment. 

 

Sora grinned at them before turning to help Riku divide up the supplies. “It’s good they are getting along more like friends now.”

 

Riku returned Sora’s grin and his fingers lingered when he passed Sora the granola bars. “Maybe Vanitas had some practice...”

 

“Huh... what do you mean? Like he had a friend in Organization XIII?”

 

After a moment, Riku nodded, “Lea has a theory... that’s one of the reasons I insisted Vanitas come. I kind of half hope he’s wrong... though, I guess that’s a bit...” He shrugged, and Sora got the suspicion that the older boy wasn’t sure how to feel about...whatever this was. 

 

Concerned, Sora opened his mouth to ask but Riku cut him off with a quick kiss to his cheek. 

 

“I’ll explain later,” Riku promised, squeezing Sora’s hand quickly before going to help Aqua sort out some plates. Terra, Ven and Vanitas were still searching the cupboards to see if there was anything edible left. 

 

Their search ended with a loaf of bread that had hardened into a rock and a can of soup nobody wanted to touch. 

 

“Maybe we should keep them for posterity's sake,” Ven mumbled around a granola bar, poking at the loaf of bread.

 

“If you keep poking it, maybe it’ll poke back...” Vanitas muttered. 

 

Ven snatched his hand away. 

 

Sora chuckled, granola bar halfway to his mouth when he heard someone else laughing. 

 

Someone not in their group. 

 

Quickly, he turned, but didn’t find anyone there. 

 

“Sora?” Riku touched his shoulder. 

 

Sora looked at the rest of the group. Aqua, unsurprisingly, had her keyblade out. “Did you hear it too?”

 

Aqua nodded, “We’re not alone.”

 

After a moment, Riku summoned his keyblade, “Right.” 

 

Sora frowned, Riku sounded more... resigned, than apprehensive. Was this what he had been worried about earlier? About some of the Organizations experiments walking around?

 

...and laughing?

 

“Aqua, would you, Terra and Ven mind staying here? They might come back this way. We’ll check down here...” He began walking down the darkened corridor where Sora had heard the laugh. “C’mon, Sora... And you too, Vanitas...” 

 

“What, is Sora not enough to hold your hand in the dark?!” Vanitas demanded, mouth full of granola. 

 

Riku let out a sigh, but didn’t answer, instead disappearing down the passageway. The shadows seemed to swallow him up. 

 

Sora didn’t even hesitate or check to see if Vanitas followed. Quickly finishing his food, he summoned his own keyblade, running into the passageway. 

 

He caught up with the silver haired boy fairly quickly, “Riku? What’s this all about.... You’re being weird...”

 

“Sorry...” Riku sighed and grabbed Sora’s hand, “I don’t mean to scare you...”

 

“I’m not scared,” Sora clarified, although Riku’s attitude did make him nervous, “Just... you’re being all secretive again. Like you did when we were in the realm of darkness. Like... you’re just gonna go away again.”

 

“Of course not...” Riku didn’t sound too sure, “I won’t go anywhere you can’t follow.”

 

“I’d rather you not go anywhere without me right by your side,” Sora muttered, but squeezed Riku’s hand in reassurance. 

 

“If you two are finished...” Vanitas trailed off, coming behind them, his own keyblade in hand. He gestured with his keyblade down a branch that broke off from the main hallway, “There’s a... sort of dark presence down that hallway.”

 

“Sort of dark?” Riku raised an eyebrow. 

 

“I dunno...” Vanitas shook his head, “Hard to explain. Like... something trying really hard to cloak themselves, but not quite managing it. Really bad camouflage?” He shrugged, “they were doing better when they snuck up on us when we were eating, but now got all self conscious when Sora heard them.” 

 

“So you could feel them when we were eating?” Riku asked, heading down the hallway Vanitas had gestured to. 

 

“Not till they were nearly on top of us,” Vanitas grumbled, waving his keyblade in the air like he was trying to make a point. “Like I said, they were really good up till then. What about you? You’re the one who can smell darkness supposedly... You didn’t pick up on them either!”

 

“It’s not that simple.” Riku shook his head in irritation. 

 

Sora sighed, listening to the two argue about the particulars of darkness. As Vanitas continued to gesture with his keyblade, the brunet couldn’t help but get a closer look at it. The chains that had once wrapped around Void Gear were now gone, and the overall color scheme had lightened a bit. The dulled greys and blacks a now brighter shade. Sora thought it reflected Vanitas’s personality better. The darker haired boy claimed that the blade was still called Void Gear but that it had been... freed... in a way. Riku compared it to when Soul Eater evolved into Way to the Dawn when he made an important choice. 

 

Sora didn’t think that keyblades could... change like that with their owners. His own kingdom key had retained the same feel to it, no matter the keychain it had on it. But... he supposed that if keyblades had been passed down for generations, then it would makes sense for them to have developed their own...quirks. 

 

The sound of footsteps retreating startled Sora out of his thoughts. He momentarily thought of summoning a fireball, or some sort of light magic to illuminate the hallway, but neither Riku nor Vanitas seemed to have the same issues he had in peering through the darkness. 

 

“I can’t see anything...” Sora murmured to Riku. He felt the other boy take his hand. 

 

“Don’t be afraid...” Riku whispered in his ear. 

 

Sora just barely resisted the urge to say that if Riku kept holding his hand he’d never fear anything again. He would never hear the end of it from Vanitas. 

 

Suddenly, there was the sound of a dark portal being formed, then the sound of a struggle as Vanitas must have tackled their stalker to the ground. 

 

“Hey! Get off me!”

 

That voice! It was Riku’s. But... not the Riku who stood beside him and still held his hand. His Riku had grown up, his voice deepening as he grew taller. 

 

This voice though. Sora could still remember it in his dreams, and occasionally his nightmares, though he never told Riku. This voice was that of a 15 year old Riku. The one who Sora had to chase through countless worlds just to talk to again. 

 

The one who nearly disappeared forever. 

 

“Sparkga!” The spell was out of Sora’s mouth before he could stop it, and luckily the spell directed itself at the ceiling rather than at any of the others in the narrow corridor. 

 

Three rings of light hovered in the air for a moment, just giving off enough light for Sora to see the figure wearing the Organization XIII cloak. Vanitas, who was now groaning and shielding his eyes, had managed to dislodge the hood a little bit. 

 

Silver haired spilled out, framing a pale face. The figure’s eyes were scrunched closed against the bright light, but Sora figured that if they were open, they’d be a brilliant turquoise color. 

 

“Riku?”

 

The light show dimmed and Vanitas let out a series of curses for which Aqua would have probably made him wash his mouth out with soap. 

 

“What the fuck, Sora?” Vanitas huffed, and Sora imagined that he was still blinking the after images out of his eyes. “I had him. No reason to go--”

 

“The replica...” Riku cut in. “So... it really is you...” 

 

“....What of it?”

 

It was really strange, to hear an echo of Riku answering his own comment. Sora wasn’t sure he could handle it in this darkened passageway. 

 

“Um... can we go somewhere with more light?” the brunet requested. “Cause... I know you guys are all good with this, but I’d like to be able to see.”

 

He was pretty sure he could hear Vanitas roll his eyes. 

 

“We can go back to my.... Spot...” Riku-the  _ other _ Riku- said, and Sora heard him push Vanitas off, and probably with some not inconsiderable force if the grunt the darker haired boy let out was any indication. 

 

“Your spot?” Vanitas asked. 

 

“Yeah... I think I know where it is now,” he paused, and Sora got the feeling he was glaring at them. “It was pretty nice before you all decided to show up and change everything...” the other Riku’s voice was fading, like he was walking away and the others hurried to catch up. “I kept getting all turned around and stumbled upon you guys.... You all wouldn’t have known I was here, otherwise.”

 

“I would have found you eventually,” Vanitas huffed. Sora didn’t think he sounded too sure. 

 

This was... seriously odd. 

 

They finally ducked back into a coorridor that at least had a few windows, and Sora was able to see this new Riku more clearly. 

 

And it really was a near exact replica of his own Riku when he was fifteen. There were perhaps a few differences... the tilt of his head, or the focused expression... but Sora knew that if his own Riku was somehow turned back into his fifteen year old self, attitude and all, he would have difficulty telling the two apart by sight. 

 

The replica noticed him staring and scoffed, “C’mon Sora, we’ve been over this. I’m a fake, remember?” 

 

A fake?

 

A jolt when through Sora’s heart. There was something... something so important that he should remember. It was the same feeling he got when they were approaching Castle Oblivion earlier, and when he first saw Namine again in the world that never was. 

 

The knowledge that he should know this person, but none of the memories that should have come along with that knowledge. 

 

“Sora... doesn’t remember,” his Riku said, squeezing the brunet’s shoulder in reassurance. “But trust me... that doesn’t matter. He’ll still treat you the same.”

 

“Hmph...” the other Riku scoffed, crossing his arms. “With the same blind trust and faith that I have a real heart?”

 

“With an extra dose of gullibility,” Vanitas added.. 

 

“Hey!” Sora stuck out his tongue, “I’m right here! And I don’t trust blindly!” 

 

All three of them shot him disbelieving stares and Sora resisted the urge to stamp his foot in irritation. 

 

...He’s been spending  _ way _ too much time with Donald. 

 

Instead he pouted and crossed his arms behind his head, “Anyway.... So... you’re a replica of Riku?”

 

“Yeah...” the replica looked away, “Just a worthless fake made to trick you... nothing more...”

 

“What?!” Vanitas threw his arms up in exasperation and Sora was tempted to say that he looked just like Ven when he did that.

 

Wisely, he stayed silent.

 

“Who told you that?” the darker haired boy continued, “Cause you were better at sneaking around using the darkness, definitely 100 times better than your more annoying twin over there.” Vanitas pointed at Riku who pulled a face and crossed his arms. “Like you said, it would have taken me at least a day or so to find you before you got all self-conscious.” 

 

The darker haired boy crossed his arms, and looked more at the wall than at the boy in front of him. “Not to mention, you were always the best at ignoring Xehanort’s orders most of the time...and helped me keep a clear head towards the end there...” Vanitas trailed off, nearly mumbling the last part before he looked back up at the replica, nearly poking the boy in the chest, “So I don’t want to hear anyone call you nothing or worthless or a fake, especially not yourself.” 

 

Sora looked at the darker haired boy. Vanitas never defended anybody, much less try to cheer them up. 

 

Good thing Riku was here to back him up; the others would  _ never _ believe this. 

 

The replica was also looking at Vanitas oddly, like he was trying to remember him. “Vanitas?”

 

“Obviously...” Vanitas huffed rubbing a hand through his hair, “C’mon. You hit your head or something? We spent like... every day together since you got there.”

 

“.... I never saw you without your helmet...” 

 

Vanitas stopped rubbing is head and glanced at the younger silver haired boy, “Really?...huh...” He gave a small, shy grin, “Well... this is my face...what to you think?”

 

“....Eh... I’ve seen better looking in a mirror.”

 

Sora heard his Riku chuckling, growing louder when Vanitas let out a shout of protest.

 

Sora tried to give a grin to diffuse the awkward silence that had descended upon them. “Well... it’s gonna get confusing if we call you Riku or Riku’s Replica...is there something else you want to go by?”

 

The replica shrugged and looked away, not quite able to meet Sora in the eye, something that confused the brunet greatly. 

 

Had Sora... done something?

 

“Repliku,” Vanitas said, wrapping an arm around the other silver haired boy’s shoulders. “At least for now... till you find something you like better.”

 

Blinking, the other boy whispered the name to himself for a moment before nodding, “I guess it’ll work... For now... Cause it sounds stupid.”

 

Vanitas huffed and frowned, “You’re stupid.”

 

“Pot, kettle...” Repliku teased, then laughed as Vanitas punched him lightly in the arm, a smile also gracing the raven haired boy’s face. 

 

Definitely,  _ definitely _ weird. 

 

They walked for a little bit further before Repliku stopped and ducked between a pillar and three large brown flower pots filled with long dead plants. If Sora squinted, and leached the color out of the pots, he thought he could see the resemblance between the flowerpots and the huge urns that used to line the hallways in Castle Oblivion. 

 

“Found it!” Repliku cried out, disappearing behind the flowerpot as he knelt down and seemed to rearrange something. 

 

Sora looked around the flower pot, and saw Repliku straightening out what looked to be a very old mattress and a few blankets. Lining the wall on the other side of the mattress was a plethora of food. 

 

Probably the same food that had been missing from the kitchens. 

 

“You haven’t been  _ living _ here...right?” Vanitas asked, crawling through the same opening Repliku had ducked through and sitting crosslegged on the bed. He leaned back on his arms, staring up at Sora and Riku who were also looking in at the tiny makeshift room over the top of the flower pots. 

 

“It’s not that bad...” Repliku muttered, still straightening the matteress out and then moving on to the pile of food. “Besides, where else would I have gone? It’s the only... home I’ve ever known.” His hands slowed down from where they were straightening and rearranging the cans of food, and the boy seemed to curl in on himself. 

 

In that moment, Repliku looked so much like the Riku of nearly three years ago, but so much more sad, lost and alone that Sora was unable to resist the urge that swept through him. He crawled into the small space, pulling Repliku into his arms. “You could have come with us...” the brunet murmured. 

 

Repliku tensed up in his arms, and it was like hugging a statue until the boy finally seemed to just... collapse and let Sora hug him, burying his face in the brunet’s jacket. The brunet just rubbed a hand down the other boy’s back, letting the replica soak up what comfort Sora could offer. 

 

Then Sora began to feel the sort of prickly sensation that indicated someone was glaring at him. 

 

Heatedly. 

 

Glancing up, he thought it might have been Riku, but the older silver haired boy was just smiling softly at them, his eyes warm. 

 

Then Sora looked beside them where...

 

_ Well... _

 

Sora had the feeling that if Vanitas could still summon unversed, the brunet would have been buried under a mountain of floods. 

 

Before Sora could even think of pulling away, Repliku beat him to it, sliding out of the brunet’s arms and leaning against pillar that made up one wall of his room. 

 

“I didn’t know what you guys had done with the others...” the silver haired boy said, pulling his knees up to his chest. “I was so... _ confused _ after the battle... a lot of the people I fought with were disappearing, and... there was like this weight that had been lifted from my chest. When I finally got my head on straight you guys were rounding up anyone in a black hood and... I didn’t know where you were taking them... so I just... left.” 

 

He shrugged, shoulders rolling under the black cloak. In the better light, Sora could see the worn seams and the way it seemed to settle awkwardly on the boy’s frame, like it was too big. “I came here... because I didn’t know where else to go. But the trip, it took a lot out of me. I think I slept for a few days. And then, when I was able to regain my strength enough to travel to other worlds, I never saw any of those who had been taken...so I thought...”

 

“I was recovering,” Vanitas hurried to say, pushing Sora out of the way enough so that he could sit next to the other boy. “Saix is there too... that guy who kept chasing us whenever we ran off.”

 

Repliku, glanced over, a small grin on his face, “What about the really lazy one?”

 

“Hmmm, the one that just whined all the time?” Vanitas, looked at Sora expectantly. 

 

_ Whined all the time? _ Sora thought, “Oh... you mean Demyx?... Sorta tall, blonde hair and fights with water?” At their nods, he grinned, “He’s hanging out in Radiant Garden with Ienzo and Even...”

 

“Ienzo and...Even?”

 

“Zexion and Vexen...” Riku clarified. 

 

Repliku’s face went white, “They’re still--”

 

“They became their somebodies again,” Riku explained, “And Even’s been banned from experimenting with any sort of replica program. Ansem the Wise has made it part of his probation. And... when Ienzo isn’t Zexion, he’s got a pretty reasonable head on his shoulders, so he’s been making sure Even can’t get into trouble.”

 

“Good,” Repliku spat, “I’d hate for there to be someone else like me out there...”

 

“Well...” Sora started, but trailed off at the sharp look Riku sent him. 

 

Right... better break Xion’s creation to the poor boy gently. But at least Repliku would have someone to connect with. 

 

Vanitas laid a hand on the boy’s shoulder, sitting quietly with him until Repliku began to relax, straightening his legs out and sitting up straighter. 

 

Sora couldn’t help but grin. Looks like Repliku had already found someone to connect with. “Well, no use staying around here. Let’s go back and find the others, I’m sure they’re worried by now.”

 

“Yeah, probably,” Riku agreed. He offered his hand to Sora as the brunet crawled out of Repliku’s ‘room,’ pulling the brunet to his feet easily. 

 

“C’mon,” Vanitas said as he crawled out as well. “You’re coming with us...right?”

 

“I...” Repliku trailed off. “I...”

 

“You have a choice,” Riku stated, placing his hands on his hips and Sora couldn’t help but think that he looked like an older brother about to scold a younger one. “You can stay here, if you want, but it’s likely that Terra, Aqua and Ven will want to move back here eventually... and the castle might not be structurally sound until then. Or... you can come with us now and live with us at Master Yen Sid’s tower. Sora, Kairi and I are staying there for the time being, along with Roxas, Lea and...Xion.”

 

“You can share my room,” Vanitas offered, “It’s cool and it has a window.”

 

“Really?” Repliku looked awed by the thought of a window. 

 

Sora felt another urge to hug the boy, but held back. He could go hug his own Riku later to make up for the hugs he clearly lacked at fifteen. 

 

The raven haired boy offered a hand and, after a moment, Repliku took it, crawling out of the little room. 

 

“Hmm...” Vanitas hummed staring at Repliku in thought. 

 

The lighter haired boy raised an eyebrow, “Yeah?”

 

“You need actual clothes,” Vanitas said, arms crossed, “They’re way more comfortable than those cloaks... or those darkness outfits.”

 

Repliku looked down at his now pretty threadbare cloak. “You think so?”

 

“I know so...” Vanitas pulled at his own shirt to emphasize. “And you can move better in them.”

 

Repliku nodded in agreement and Vanitas turned to Sora and Riku, “Can we stop by that... Shining Garden place before we go back?” 

 

“Radiant garden,” Sora clarified, smiling a little at Vanitas’s face when he realized he said he name wrong. “Of course... I’m sure Leon and Cloud would enjoy a visit.”

 

“For now though...” Riku said, “We can ask Ven and Terra if they might have any old clothes that Repliku can borrow.” 

 

With that decided, they headed back, though Sora took one last look at the food Repliku had squirreled away, just to see if there was anything actually edible. 

 

(“You even think about taking that cereal back to Ventus,” Vanitas threatened, glaring heatedly at the offending box of sugar and carbs, “and I’m never talking to you again.”

 

Sora briefly wondered how much of a punishment that would actually be)

 

\---

 

“You gotta use...yeah! That one!”

 

“Like this?” 

 

The sounds of the game emanated from the tiny screen, then a cheer from both boys as the bad guy was defeated. 

 

Sora figured that introducing Vanitas (and now Repliku) to the simple games he kept on his communication device would be a bad idea. What was even worse was that they were clearly beating his high scores. 

 

“Now you gotta try this one...” Vanitas pulled the device closer, switching over to a different game before handing it back to Repliku. “The goal is to sneak past the giant...” 

 

Repliku nodded and started the game. 

 

“Kids having fun?” Riku asked quietly, walking in from the kitchen a mug of something hot in his hand. He passed a second mug to Sora and the brunet gratefully took a deep breath of the peppermint and hibiscus tea scent. His favorite (outside of hot chocolate). 

 

“Yeah...” Sora nodded, “I think Repliku was a little worn out from the shopping trip, and meeting all these new people.”

 

“Yuffie’s a little much on the best of days,” Riku agreed. He glanced at the bags by Sora’s feet, which the brunet had meant to run upstairs to the room Vanitas and Repliku were sharing. “Are they playing those games you like?”

 

“And beating his high scores!” Vanitas added, smirking at Sora. 

 

Sora stuck out his tongue and made a face. 

 

No one ever said he had matured over his journeys. 

 

Riku chuckled and pulled Sora close for a quick hug before reaching around him to pick up the bags. “Did you want to change into any of your new clothes, Repliku?”

 

“Nah,” Repliku waved him off, half distracted by the game. “These are comfy.” He was still lounging in the too short pants from Ven and way too big shirt that they had borrowed from Terra after Ven’s shirts proved to be too small. 

 

Riku nodded and headed up the stairs with the bags. Sora was about to follow up behind him when the front opened, revealing a rain drenched Leon and Cloud. 

 

“I don’t think you’ll be able to leave till the rains clear up...” Cloud muttered, shaking out his hair. Most of the spikes gradually returned to their normal upright positions. Leon grinned and ran a hand through the blond’s hair, fixing the remaining stubborn strands. 

 

Sora chuckled at the interaction and shrugged, “It’s fine. Don’t really have anywhere urgent to be.”

 

“And isn’t that new,” Leon observed patting Sora on the arm, “Before you were always rushing everywhere. What’s it like to just relax?”

 

Sora blinked. He hadn’t... really thought of it like that before. But... Leon was right. Without the worlds in constant danger, he really didn’t need to rush off anywhere. Land of Departure had been the final world that needed to be fully restored. It had been put on a low priority list while the other worlds took precedence, but once that was complete... 

 

Sora really didn’t have anything left to do. 

 

“Oh shit. I think you broke him.”

 

Vanitas’s voice startled Sora out of his thoughts and he shook his head. 

 

“Sorry... I guess... It’s hard to adapt to  _ not _ saving the world.”

 

“Well...” Vanitas pointed at him, “You can start by getting better at these games, we are seriously thrashing you over here.”

 

“I think I just entered double point scoring...” Repliku murmured.

 

“Hey! That’s just not cool!” Sora ran over and catching the final stages of a boss that had him stuck for weeks. Repliku easily defeated the monster, moving on to the next level. Vanitas cheered and smirked at Sora. 

 

The brunet sighed. 

 

Maybe he was just losing his touch...

 

\---

 

“You’re not losing your touch...” Riku stated, absently running his hand through Sora’s hair, his other hand occupied with a rather heavy tome Aqua had lent him from the Land of Departure’s library. 

 

The books themselves had been in complete disarray, several large volumes misplaced and many more lying on the ground, their spines split and covers torn. Sora was sure that Aqua had nearly cried at the sight. But she managed to compose herself and instead focus on searching for this book in particular for Riku. 

 

In the meantime, Ven and Terra had checked out several other areas of the building, reporting back the damage. 

 

It would take a long, long time to restore the castle to what it once was, but the trio had been confident they could do it and encouraged Sora and the rest to head back to begin gathering supplies while they continued to survey the damage. 

 

“But what if... I mean... without having to save the worlds, I forget how to use the keyblade... or I just...” Sora sighed and reached up, tracing the edges of the book lazily. The rain was putting everyone into a sleepy mood. Even Leon and Cloud had gone to taken a nap upstairs before starting on dinner. 

 

Sora glanced across at the other couch where Vanitas and Repliku had nodded off as well, resting their heads on opposite ends of the couch. Leon had placed the one overly large blanket around both of them. Sora giggled lightly when Vanitas scrunched his eyebrows in his sleep, pulling the blanket tighter around his shoulders, causing it to slip out of Repliku’s grasp. Repliku grumbled in his sleep and tried to tug the blanket back, much to the darker haired boy’s unconscious dismay. 

 

“There have been plenty of keyblade wielders in times of peace as well...” Riku said, placing the book down on the side table and wrapping an arm around Sora’s shoulders. “You’re not just gonna forget how to wield a keyblade. Go ahead a call on it right now...”

 

Sora turned so he was laying on his back and blinked up at Riku before finally letting out a sigh and raising an hand. With a flash, the kingdom key appeared, and the sight of it reassured the brunet a little. 

 

“See?” Riku murmured. “Still there...”

 

“Yeah....” Sora sighed and let the keyblade vanish into whatever pocket dimension it resided in when it wasn’t needed. “I just...” Maybe he’ll just fade into a pocket dimension as well. 

 

“Hmm...” Riku let out a sigh and pulled him close so that Sora could rest his head right over Riku’s heart. “This isn’t like you...”

 

“What is me?” Sora questioned, “Without the keyblade I’m just--”

 

“Kind,” Riku cut him off, raising Sora’s head so the brunet was staring into green eyes that were wide with concern. 

 

And maybe a little fear. 

 

“You are kind and courageous and stubborn and wonderful and...” Riku trailed off, running a hand through Sora’s hair. “You always see the best in others, even when they don’t see it themselves.” Riku placed a kiss on Sora’s forehead, “You always have.... And you’d be all those things with or without a keyblade.” 

 

Sora let out a sigh, then leaned up further so he could kiss Riku’s lips instead, “Thanks, Riku...” 

 

“Hmm... that doesn’t sound like a ‘Riku, you’re right! I’ll never doubt you again,’” Riku pitched his voice in a humorous attempt at mimicking Sora. 

 

The brunet huffed and wacked Riku lightly. “Shut up, I sound nothing like that.” 

 

The silver haired boy laughed and caught Sora’s hand, kissing the knuckles gently. “Still true though... You scare me when you start to doubt yourself.”

 

“I’m sorry...” Sora tried for a grin. He thinked it worked a little when Riku grinned back. “You’re right. I am somebody without the keyblade. But...” That really wasn’t what he was scared of. Not really. He knew he could be someone without the keyblade. And he knew who that someone was. Riku would never let him forget it. 

 

But what would that someone do...

 

He let out another sigh and laid his head back down on Riku’s chest, letting the taller boy’s gentle hands lull him into a light slumber. 

 

What would any of them do now?

 

\--

 

_ Sora raised his keyblade, blocking an attack.  _

 

_ Another attack was quickly incoming. He deflected the first blow and parried the second.  _

 

_ A dodgeroll to the left to avoid a series of quick laser bursts. A jump to avoid a devastating shock wave.  _

 

_ Sora was in his element. He knew these attacks, had been blocking, dodging and parrying them for years now. The challenge was parrying so many of those attacks from different enemies and angles.  _

 

_ He felt more than saw the laser whip as the youngest version of Xehanort tried to ensnare him, a spine tingling feeling that instinct told him to dodge out of the way just as the whip landed.  _

 

_ He glanced behind him, casting a quick cure spell towards Riku when he saw the other take a hit. Further away, Kairi was battling her own opponent and Sora thought he could make out the blonde hair of Larxene under that hood.  _

 

_ The youngest version of Xehanort went in for another attack and Sora quickly dodged the assault and retaliated, knocking his keyblade into the young man and sending him flying across the desert.  _

 

_ There was a sudden pain in his leg and he cried out in shock.  _

 

_ Instantly, Riku was at his side, healing his leg while Mickey fought off Xemnas.  _

 

_ “Getting tired?” Riku teased, even as he helped Sora up and raised a dark barrier to shield them from a barrage of bullets from Xigbar.  _

 

_ “Not a chance,” Sora leaned in close so his Reflega spell covered both of them. Xigbar cried out in pain when his own bullets were bounced back at him. “Ready?” _

 

_ “Yep.” _

 

_ Sora quickly released the reflega spell, and it exploded out, hitting the enemies that had been trying to close in on them. They both jumped out of the spell and engaged their confused opponents.  _

 

_ Somehow he ended back battling with Xemnas again. It was only then he realized that he hadn’t seen the oldest version of the man in quite some time.  _

 

_ Xemnas smirked and quickly attacked with his red light sabers, an attack that Sora easily blocked.  _

 

_ Why was Xemnas smirking? _

 

_ “SORA!”  _

 

_ The brunet flinched at the panic in Riku’s tone and took his gaze off of Xemnas to look, thinking that his boyfriend might have been in pain and needed help.  _

 

_ The blow landed just as he turned around.  _

 

_ Sora could only watch as Master Xehanort’s keyblade connected with Riku’s armor, flinging the silver haired boy across the desert and into a rock pillar with a sickening sound. He seemed to hover there for a moment before crashing to the ground.  _

 

_ He did not get back up. _

 

_ Xemnas backed off, but Sora didn’t care.  _

 

_ His heart felt like it was dropping, breaking, sinking into his chest, leaving behind a hollow shell.  _

 

_ Riku? _

 

_ He felt hot. No...cold.  _

 

_ So, so cold. _

 

_ Not  _ Riku _.  _

 

_ His vision blurred, becoming dark around the edges.  _

 

_ Why would Riku--? _

 

_ Distantly, he heard Kairi shout for Riku as well, a blur of rose gold armor running past before Xigbar blocked her path.  _

 

_ He heard Mickey, Aqua, and Ven fighting off the organization members nearby. Grunts of pain followed by the shouts of spells and battle cries. _

 

_ Sora didn’t care.  _

 

_ Riku was still not moving.  _

 

_ The brunet felt his heart crack a little more. His vision narrowed in on that small spot of dark blue armor, silver hair peeking out from a broken helmet, flickering in the dusty wind.   _

 

_ Riku? _

 

_ RIKU?! _

 

Sora was halfway out of bed before he realized he was even awake, still reaching out towards the unmoving silver haired figure. 

 

Riku?

 

But...

 

Sora took a deep breath. Riku was fine. 

 

He heard light snores and turned to glance at the boy in the bed next to his. 

 

Riku was fine. 

 

Silver hair glowed in the moonlight filtering in from the window, pale skin hidden beneath a sleep shirt and the heavy blankets. Riku’s arm curled under his head, his face calm and peaceful in sleep. 

 

The brunet sighed and got up, gently padding over to Riku’s bed kneeling down beside it. It was at times like this he wished they could still share a twin size bed, but after too many instances one of them, usually Sora, ending up on the floor, they had decided to just sleep in separate beds until a full size one could be found. 

 

Gently, he threaded his hand through silver strands, grinning when they changed colors as they shifted in the moonlight. 

 

The other boy must have been exhausted for he barely moved as Sora petted him, just motioning gently to nuzzle into his hand. 

 

“I love you,” Sora murmured. “I love you so much.” 

 

After another moment of staring at that perfect face, Sora sighed and got up, knowing he’d find it difficult to fall asleep after this. Quietly, he snuck out of their shared room and down the stairs. 

 

He heard the voices before he reached the kitchen. 

 

“Deep breaths.... That’s it...” Cloud’s voice murmured softly. 

 

“Keep stirring till it starts to steam...” Leon’s voice was soft was well. 

 

Quietly, Sora padded into the kitchen, where only the light from the stove illuminated the forms of the four people inside. Leon stood at the stove with Vanitas, while Cloud had an arm wrapped tightly around Repliku. The silver haired boy had his arms wrapped around himself, shaking, but breathing deeply as Cloud rubbed his back. 

 

Sora knew from experience with Riku what a panic attack looked like. He cleared his throat, trying to make noise without startling Repliku. It worked, and all four of them looked at him. Sora grinned sheepishly and rubbed at the back of his neck. 

 

Vanitas huffed, “Make your own hot chocolate.”

 

“Or you could share,” Leon stated, “You poured enough milk to share with the whole household.”

 

“...Repliku might need more than one cup.” 

 

“Right...”

 

Sora smirked, knowing that tone of voice. He took a seat next to Repliku, “You okay?”

 

“Yeah... just... bad dream...” The younger boy let out a sigh. His hands were on the table, fingers tangled with each other and knuckles growing whiter by the second. Sora just barely resisted the urge to cover those hands with his own, reminding himself that this wasn’t Riku and that the boy might not appreciate it. 

 

“So, hot chocolate?” Sora asked instead. 

 

Repliku nodded, “Vanitas thought this might help?”

 

“It works,” Vanitas promised. “Lea said you couldn’t feel bad about yourself while drinking it. It’s a law or something.”

 

“That’s right,” Cloud huffed out a quiet laugh, and even Leon cracked a smile.

 

They sat in quiet for a bit, the only thing breaking the silence was the soft sounds of wood against metal as Vanitas continued to stir the milk on the stove. 

 

Sora stared at the table for a moment, but glanced up when he felt a gaze on him. Looking up, he saw Repliku glancing away quickly. Frowning, Sora opened his mouth to ask what that was about, but thought better of it. Repliku had already gone through enough tonight without more questions. 

 

“You see how there’s a bit of wispy smoke come off the milk?” Leon asked, breaking the silence. 

 

“Yeah...” Vanitas nodded, still stirring. 

 

“That means it’s done,” Leon reached around and turned off the stove, helping Vanitas pour the hot chocolate into five mugs. 

 

Vanitas grabbed a mug for Repliku and himself while Leon grabbed his, Cloud’s and Sora’s. When the got to the table, Leon sat on Cloud’s other side. Vanitas glared at Sora. “Move.”

 

Sora smiled right back, knowing what the other boy wanted. “You could say please.”

 

“ _ Please _ , move your ass out of that chair,” Vanitas muttered, rolling his eyes. 

 

Sora huffed, but obligingly moved a seat down so Vanitas could sit next to Repliku. The boy sat his own mug down at the table before placing the other mug in front of the silver haired boy. 

 

“It’s hot chocolate...” The darker hair boy’s tone was much more gentle than the one he used to (politely) ask Sora to move. “It’s really good...

 

Repliku stared at the mug for a moment before picking it up, sniffing it in curiosity before taking a cautious sip. Instantly, he placed his cup back on the table, his eyes wide. “It’s good! But... hot!!!”

 

Vanitas chuckled, “Yeah.... you can wait for it to cool off a bit.” He blew into his own mug to demonstrate. 

 

Repliku copied, and after a moment they both took a bigger sip. 

 

“Mm...” Repliku closed his eyes, enjoying the drink. “This is nice...”

 

“Yep... I was skeptical at first,” Vanitas murmured, “But... it really does make me feel better after a nightmare.” He eyed Sora for a moment before leaning in to whisper something in Repliku’s ear. Sora couldn’t hear it but he figured it was something negative about him from the way they both glanced over and then burst into giggles. 

 

The brunet let out a sigh, “Sure, make fun of the keyblade hero...”

 

“Psh...” Vanitas scoffed, swinging his hands behind his hair the same way Ven and Sora did. “I think you can handle it...”

 

Repliku continued to chuckle and drink his hot chocolate. 

 

Sora rolled his eyes, but took a sip of his own hot chocolate. As the warm, sweet liquid slid down his throat, the lingering feelings left over from the nightmare retreated to the back of his mind. 

 

Riku was fine. 

 

Everyone was fine. 

 

Everyone was alive. 

 

“What’s got you up at this hour?” Leon asked, and with a start, Sora realized that the older brunet was talking to him. 

 

Sora tried to laugh it off, rubbing the back of his head, “Oh... you know... just couldn’t sleep. Was a bit hungry.”

 

‘Hmm...” Leon didn’t look too convinced. 

 

“How did patrol go?” Sora asked instead, hoping to deter Leon’s interest. It wouldn’t work, but he could try. 

 

“Fine,” Cloud answered instead. “The streets are cleaning up, and with Ansem the Wise back in town, more people are starting to return. There’s even talk of opening the school again.”

 

“What’s a school?” Vanitas muttered. 

 

“It’s a place where you learn things...like math and stuff...right?” 

 

Surprisingly, it was Repliku who answered and was looking at Sora for confirmation.

 

“Yeah,” Sora nodded, “But how did you--”

 

“I still have the fake copies of Riku’s memories...” Repliku shrugged, “A lot of them were from school...” 

 

“Ahh...” Sora nodded. Riku would have probably remembered more of their school years. Sora couldn’t really remember the actual education part. “Yeah... Riku and I had a lot of fun there... though Riku was better at the actual academic part than I was.”

 

“You kept falling asleep.”

 

“Hence why he was better...” Sora grinned, “When we left for our mark of Mastery Exam, I actually just got a note for an extended leave up absence because Kairi and Riku knew that I’d probably not do well on the exit exam. They just studied really hard for it to graduate early.”

 

“So you’re technically a high school dropout?” Cloud asked, tapping his fingers against his mug. 

 

“I guess....sure?” Sora shrugged. He never really thought of it. Considering his future now...

 

And there was that nervous feeling again. What  _ was _ his future now?

 

“Do you want to finish?” Leon asked. 

 

Sora shrugged. “I dunno... I mean... I suppose I could, but I’m not sure if...well... what else I need to learn... I mean...” He trailed off, not sure exactly what to say. 

 

“Is that an option?”

 

Again, it was surprisingly Repliku who spoke up. Sora glanced over, “Huh?”

 

He shrugged, “Dunno what else I’m gonna do... I mean... I can’t even summon a keyblade exactly, the Soul Eater blade was just a fake. So I can’t become a keyblade master...” He sighed and tapped his fingers on his mug absently. “Besides... Vexen...Even... whatever his name is... is here. He created me. What if something goes wrong? I’d need to know how to...fix...myself...” He sighed and took another, longer sip of hot chocolate. 

 

Sora looked down at his own hot chocolate. He hadn’t thought of that. 

 

“We can discuss it with Yen Sid after you check in with him,” Leon said, nodding, “It might be good for you to try out different things. And we can talk with Even too. He’s been... indisposed for a while, but he’s not allowed--”

 

“I know... he’s not allowed to create more Replicas...” Repliku nodded, “I know, but he still should have all the original research notes on me. So he might...”

 

“We’ll ask around.” Cloud patted the boy on the shoulder, “You’ll be okay.” 

 

After a long moment, Repliku seemed to relax and he nodded again, “Okay.” He took another sip of hot chocolate and finally let out a grin. “This is really good.”

 

“I know right!” 

 

Sora couldn’t really see Vanitas’s face since it was tilted towards the silver haired boy, but he heard the excitement in the voice and Sora found himself happy for it. Vanitas had been growing more confident in expressing joy and other ‘positive’ emotions. If Repliku managed to bring more of that out in the darker haired boy, then Sora was glad that Riku convinced the silver haired boy to come with them. If Repliku wanted to start school though...

 

“Can I join this school thing too?” 

 

What?

 

“ _ You _ wanna go to school?” Sora asked incredulously. 

 

“Yeah, why?” Vanitas turned to glare at him and Sora instinctively raised his hands in surrender. “Think I can’t do it?”

 

“I didn’t mean that...” Sora chuckled nervously and raised a hand to rub at his face, “I just mean... you know... it’s  _ school _ .”

 

“Well...” Vanitas shrugged, “I don’t remember anything like that from Ven’s memories, so...I’m guessing he never went.” He looked down at his own mug, “You guys are always going on about how I should be my own person. Going to school seems like a good place to start.”

 

Leon let out a huff, “Fair enough...”

 

“For now though,” Cloud pushed his empty mug away and stood up from the table, removing Vanitas’s and Repliku’s as well, “It’ll be best if you went to bed. We’ll discuss it with Yen Sid. School won’t start for another month or so. Plenty of time to get the details sorted.”

 

“Fine,” Vanitas nodded in agreement and stood up from the table, followed by Repliku. Together they made their way up the stairs, and soon Sora heard the door to the room that they were sharing softly close. 

 

“So... how close was Vanitas to burning the house down when you walked in on him making hot chocolate?” Sora questioned, grinning. 

 

“There was a small mishap with having the burner set way too high,” Leon said, draining his cup, “But we intervened before the fire department had to be called.” 

 

Sora chuckled, swirling his own hot chocolate in his mug. There was still more than half left. It would grow cold soon. 

 

“So... What’s got you up?” Leon asked, and Sora felt his stare. 

 

“.... maybe I was just hungry?”

 

“You never get up unless you have a bad dream or you’re missing Riku,” Cloud stated taking a seat again. “Considering you have a Riku in your room, it’s gotta be the first one.”

 

“Gosh,” Sora chuckled, “Can’t get anything past you, huh?”

 

“We know you too well,” Leon agreed. “So?”

 

Sora let out a sigh and shrugged, “I dunno... I just... The bad dream  _ is _ what got me up. I was dreaming of... of the final battle. Against Xehanort.” He took a small sip of luke-warm hot chocolate. “You know Riku got hurt. He nearly died. Sometimes I dream of that moment.” 

 

“That’s understandable,” Cloud murmured. “We all have dreams like that.”

 

“I know...”

 

“But that’s not all,” Leon surmised. 

 

Again, Sora offered a small shrug. “I guess.... I dunno. What you said earlier just... got to me I guess...”

 

“What  _ I _ said?” Leon’s brow furrowed. 

 

“Yeah... you asked what it was like to relax...” Sora rubbed his head, “I couldn’t... think of an answer...”

 

“I was just teasing. You know how to relax,” Leon leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms,  “You can sleep like the dead when you want to.”

 

“Yeah, I know...But you said that and I realized... I really have been running around everywhere for the past few years... I don’t know what I’m going to do now...”

 

Sora let the words hang there for a moment while he drained his hot chocolate, not wanting to waste it by letting it get cold. 

 

“Well... what do you want to do?”

 

Leon was the first to speak, raising an eyebrow. 

 

Sora shrugged, “I don’t--” He shook his head. 

 

“Close your eyes,” Cloud advised. 

 

Sora blinked at the blonde, but eventually did as he asked, “Okay?”

 

“Invision yourself a year from now. Sora at 18 years old. What do you see?”

 

“I uh...” Sora tried to imagine it, really,  _ really _ tried. “Well...”

 

“Is Riku still with you?” Leon wondered.

 

“Of course!” At least, he  _ hoped _ so. But he was pretty sure that would be true. 

 

“And Kairi?”

 

“She’ll have taken her mark of mastery by then.” Sora said it with confidence. She had been growing in strength every day since the battle. 

 

“And what’s Riku doing?”

 

“Probably learning all he can from the library at the Land of Departure,” Sora grinned, “Aqua will probably name him successor. I just know it.” 

 

“And Terra and Ven?”

 

“Still awkwardly talking around their mutual admiration of each other,” Sora giggled. And Kairi thought he and Riku were dense. 

 

“Lea, Roxas and Xion?” Cloud asked. 

 

Sora blinked his eyes open, starting to get the picture. “I think they were talking about getting a place in Twilight Town. Roxas and Xion want to go to school there.” Sora still didn’t really see the appeal of school, but since Roxas only really had part of a summer vacation, he supposed the blonde wanted to know what the actual school part was about. Xion just wanted to do something a normal girl would do. Namine was going to go with them. 

 

“And Mickey, Donald and Goofy?”

 

“Probably going back to their lives at Disney Castle...”

 

“And you?”

 

“I...” Sora paused. He could see himself  _ with _ all those people. Supporting Riku’s studies, .helping train Kairi when she asked for a sparring partner, probably helping with the reconstruction of the Land of Departure. Roxas might come to him with complaints about school, but still enjoying it all the same. 

 

But... what would he  _ do _ through all that. He loved supporting his friends, but he couldn’t just sit still...

 

He thought of all his other friends, the ones that were on the other worlds. He missed them, and traveling to see them, even if it was part of heartless cleanup, was some of the best parts of his day now. Especially since he could bring Riku and Kairi with him to visit those worlds (and introduce Riku to Santa and rub it in his boyfriend’s face. It had been very important.)

 

“I...” Sora sighed, “I want to be able to travel to visit all my friends.”

 

“So... you  _ do _ know what you want to do.” Leon’s voice was confident. 

 

“Huh?” How did his wish become something he could  _ do _ ? The lanes between worlds were supposed to close once everything was fixed up and Keyblade Masters only crossed them when necessary.

 

“Here...” Cloud passed something over. A small card with gold writing. 

 

“We know you can pass through worlds on that gummiship with your keyblade,” Leon stated, “But... we got  _ this _ in the mail today.”

 

“Mail?” Sora blinked and looked down at card. 

 

It was an invitation. From Phil. To compete in the games at the Olympus Coliseum. 

 

“How did--??” 

 

“The old highways between worlds...They’re not closing completely this time around.” Leon’s arms were crossed, his head bowed in thought. “If Phil can manage to sneak invitations through, who knows what else can cross over?”

 

“Heartless?” Sora didn’t like the thought of the heartless spreading again. Sure it’d mean work for him, but at the expense of so many people...

 

“I don’t think so...” Cloud stated, “The heartless here have been of the pureblood variety. Naturally occurring, and not in near the numbers they had been. I think what Leon means... is that people could start slipping through to other worlds. It used to happen back then too. An occasional visitor from another world.”

 

“Like that damn cheapskate old duck,” Leon muttered, “Still won’t offer a discount for ice cream.” 

 

Sora chuckled, “But... you think that people traveling to other worlds will start to happen more often?”

 

“I think... I think that Kingdom Hearts might be giving us a second chance. A chance for the worlds to interact.” Leon uncrossed his arms, “Maybe.... Maybe when it had a chance to peek into your heart, it felt that it could happen. Without the people fighting over the light.” 

 

“They’ll need an ambassador.” Cloud surmised. “Someone who has been to different worlds and can mediate between two parties wanting to interact for the first time.”

 

Sora thought about it. Really thought about it. Being able to help his friends from different worlds meet? That...

 

That would be  _ awesome _ . 

 

“Yeah...” Sora nodded, “We could all help each other. Build friendships.” He let out a grin at the thought, “I could help Riku that way too... Find new keyblade wielders.”

 

Leon grinned, “Don’t forget, someday you’ll have to pass your own blade down.”

 

“I know,” Sora nodded. “But... I’m not ready to become a teacher yet. But an... ambassador you said? That sounds amazing.”

 

“And necessary...”

 

Sora couldn't help but grin. An ambassador. He’d have to talk it over with Yen Sid of course. And Aqua and Mickey. But... Maybe Leon was right and Kingdom Hearts was cracking open those pathways again. A chance to make everyone happy by building new friendships. 

 

He wouldn’t have to say goodbye to everyone. Not permanently. 

 

Sora felt lighter than he had in a long time. With a start, he realized that, while Leon’s teasing remark had made him realize it, this question of what he would do now had been laying on him like an invisible blanket for a while now. But... that weight had eased somewhat. He had an idea now, the start of a path. 

 

He could follow that wherever it led. 

 

Leon let out a huff that Sora would have almost called a laugh, “Now that that’s settled, I say we go to bed. It’s late for all of us.”

 

“Kay...” Sora’s grin didn’t fade, even as he brought his mug to the sink to soak and headed upstairs. Leon and Cloud waved goodnight from their doorway before closing the door softly behind them. 

 

Sora opened his door gently so it wouldn’t squeak. 

 

Riku was in the nearly same position Sora had left him in, the only difference being that now his eyes were open. Wide awake and evidently waiting for Sora to return. 

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

Sora shook his head, “Nothing now...” He sat on the edge of the other’s bed and took one of Riku’s large hands in his own. “Just had to talk some things out. All good.”

 

“Hmm...” Riku sat up, careful not to dislodge his hand, instead cupping his free hand to Sora’s cheek and drawing him into a soft kiss. “Hmm...” He murmured as he pulled away, “Chocolate. That kind of talk?”

 

“Heh,” Sora grinned, “Actually it was Vanitas making the hot chocolate. For Repliku.”

 

“Really...” Riku grinned, “Surprised the house isn’t on fire.”

 

“Leon and Cloud caught him at it before he could do any serious damage,” Sora reassured, caressing Riku’s hand still intertwined with his. 

 

Riku wrapped his free arm around the brunet’s waist and pulled him closer. Sora leaned into Riku’s chest, letting out a loud sigh. 

 

“Do you still need to talk?”

 

“Hmm... maybe...” Sora’s voice was muffled from Riku’s sleep shirt, but he didn’t make any move to pull away. “I wasn’t... I wasn’t sure what it was I was supposed to do now.”

 

“Oh?” Riku’s hand stroked through his hair, “What do you mean?”

 

Sora pulled his head away a little bit. “Like... For the past few years we’ve been running around, saving the worlds, stopping Xehanort. Now... we’re mostly just doing clean up. Running off the last of the heartless...I was just at a loss for what I’m supposed to do after that,” Sora shrugged, “Kairi’s going to take her mark of mastery exam soon. Then she wants to come back here to help with the reconstruction where she can. Roxas and Xion are gonna start school in Twilight Town, and Lea and Namine are going with them. Aqua, Ven and Terra are gonna be busy restoring the Land of Departure for a while. And you--”

 

“I’m gonna be wherever you are...” Riku tried to reassure, but Sora shook his head. 

 

“No... you’re gonna be learning all that you can from Aqua and Terra. I know Aqua’s gonna name you successor, so you’ll need to study all that.”

 

Sora watched as Riku’s cheeks reddened, “You don’t know that. You would be a better candidate for--”

 

“Riku...” Sora looked the older boy in the eyes, “You know me. You’re the better candidate, and you know it.”

 

Riku still didn’t look convinced, but Sora could talk to him about that later. Maybe with Mickey. And Kairi. 

 

But for now. 

 

“I want... to travel,” Sora continued, “I want to support you, in whatever you choose to do. But I also want to go see my friends and visit other worlds. Leon and Cloud thought I could be a sort of ambassador, or something.” The brunet looked away. Saying the idea in front of Leon and Cloud was one thing, but he feared Riku might find it foolish. Ambassadors in history books were generally pretty dignified, something Sora completely lacked. 

 

“Yeah...” Riku trailed off, as if thinking of the idea, “You... you’d be good at that.”

 

“You think?” Sora looked up eagerly. 

 

“Totally,” Riku grinned and kissed Sora’s lips, “Ambassadors try to foster relations right? You like making friends with new people.”

 

“And helping others make friends.”

 

Riku’s grip around his waist tightened, “I think that’s a good idea. Is that what has been having you so down lately though? Not knowing the future?”

 

Sora shrugged, “I guess? I just... didn’t know how to phrase it. Not till Leon mentioned something today. You were right earlier, I’m not just gonna... forget how to use the keyblade or something. But... without fighting heartless, I didn’t know what else it could be used for.”

 

“Hmm...” Riku ran another calming hand through his hair. “I’m glad you got it sorted then. We can talk to Yen Sid and Mickey later, get their opinion. But I’ll support you, if that’s what you want to do.”

 

Sora nodded and leaned into Riku’s embrace, “Thanks... I was just worried about what the future held. I don’t want to go back to school, and I’m definitely not ready to take on an apprentice... didn’t know what else I could do.”

 

“Sora....” Riku sighed and buried his face in the brunet’s hair, “You know you can always come talk to me about that...”

 

“I know... but I needed an adultier adult.” 

 

“Yeah, yeah...” 

 

Sora felt Riku’s grin in his hair and he couldn’t help but return it, feeling safe and warm in Riku’s arms. After a long moment, he pulled a way to offer Riku a smile, running a hand through the silver strands. “I love you.”

 

Riku smiled back, and Sora’s heart filled up with joy at the sight. The silver haired boy leaned in and kissed Sora’s grin, gently putting more of his body weight onto the smaller boy, till Sora rolled backwards on the bed, Riku leaning over him. “I love you, too,” the silver haired boy whispered as they broke apart. 

 

Sora gave a little hum of contentment, pulling Riku down so the older boy was laying on him like a living blanket. “Hmm... just stay there. You’re warm and we’ll fit this way.”

 

Riku huffed out a startled laugh, his warm breath tickling Sora’s ear. “Whatever you say...”

 

“That’s right...” Sora gumbled. 

 

With some shifting, Riku managed to wiggle into a comfortable position, resting his head on Sora’s chest, right over his heart. Sora grinned and started running a hand through Riku’s hair, feeling the muscles in his body relax as he did so. 

 

The hot chocolate and talk with Leon and Cloud did help his nerves, but there was nothing like laying quietly with Riku. 

 

“So...” Riku murmured softly, “What had Vanitas and Repliku up?”

 

Sora shrugged as best he could. “I think Repliku had a nightmare or a panic attack. Cloud was talking him down while Leon helped Van with the hot chocolate.”

 

“Hmm...” 

 

Talking about Van and Repliku made Sora think of something else. “Riku... Why did you insist on Van coming with us?” Sora shifted so he could look down at silver hair. “I was wondering...”

 

Sora felt the sudden brush of air as Riku let out a sigh. “... Lea heard from Isa that there had been another young-ish one in the Organization. Someone who hung out with Vanitas a lot and had silver hair. But wasn’t one of the Xehanorts. Lea thought... it might have been the replica from Castle Oblivion.” 

 

Sora felt his boyfriend shift, and the brunet could feel the anxiety radiating off of the older boy.  “What’s wrong?”

 

“Just... Repliku reminds me of what I used to be...” Riku shifted again, bringing a hand up to tap a counterbeat to the steady thump of Sora’s heart. “I had kinda wished Lea wasn’t right. So I didn’t have to confront all that again...” 

 

“Hey, if Repliku is like how you used to be, then clearly Kairi and I didn’t give you enough hugs at fifteen...” Sora wraps an arm around the silver haired boy now, hoping he could manage to make up for it. 

 

“I wouldn’t have let you two close enough to do so...” Riku muttered, “I was kind of an ass, remember?” 

 

“You’re still an ass...” Sora teased, yelping when Riku pinched his side, “Ow... see? But I never held that against you, you know? You were always just you...” Sora sighed and squeezed the arm around his boyfriend, “Wouldn’t want you any other way. Then or now.”

 

“Hmm...” Riku let out another sigh and his fingers stopped their twitching so he could grab a fistful of Sora’s shirt. “The me back then made a series of stupid decisions.” His fist clenched, pulling the fabric tight across Sora’s chest. “I’m sor--”

 

“You say ‘sorry’ and I’m definitely gonna take Kairi up on her idea to spray you with a water bottle whenever you start blaming yourself for things out of your control.” Sora was only half serious. Kairi had already gifted him with the spray bottle. He knew he couldn’t just stop Riku from slipping into these moods, and could really only be there for him. But he did wish there was a way to snap him out of it. 

 

Riku’s startled laugh dragged Sora away from his thoughts, the silverhaired boy hiding his face in Sora’s sleepshirt. “I’d love to see you try.” the silver haired boy huffed when he could catch his breath. 

 

“I’m serious! Just for that I’m totally mixing glitter in the water,” Sora continued, a smile on his own face, “You’d be so busy trying to get the glitter out of your hair that you wouldn’t be able to think about being sorry for something you didn’t do.”

 

Riku continued to chuckle, his hand relaxing against Sora’s chest. “Oh no, not the glitter...” 

 

“Yep!” Sora let out a few breathless chuckles of his own before shifting just enough to glance back down at silver hair. “Seriously though, I thought you were over this... But I’ll keep telling you if you need me to. You’re not who you were when we started. You’ve changed, I’ve changed, and Kairi’s changed. Pretty soon she’ll be able to kick both our asses in a sparring match.” Riku let out a light chuckle, and Sora was glad to hear it. “You’ve more than made up for what you’ve done, even though I personally think you never had to do that. What you can do now... is maybe show others how to work though their own darknesses as well...” Sora shrugged, looking back up at the ceiling. “I guess that’s all any of us can do...”

 

He felt Riku shift in his arms, and when he glanced down, he was met with a pair of warm lips on his own. Sora let out a small gasp but melted into it almost instantaneously. 

 

He would definitely never tire of this. 

 

After a long moment, Riku broke apart and laid his head back down at Sora’s chest. “You’re gonna make a great ambassador.” A soft chuckle, “Even if you’re too sappy.” 

 

“You love it...” Sora sighed and lead back against the pillows. 

 

“Hmm... guess that makes me a sap too..” 

 

“You guess?” Sora huffed and tangled his fingers back into Riku’s hair. “I love you.”

 

“I love, love, love you,” Riku replied, sounding like he was drifting back to sleep. 

 

Sora grinned one last time before following his boyfriend into slumber. 

 

\---

 

“You two are still making me sick...”

 

Even Vanitas’s half hearted grumble couldn’t erase the smile from Sora’s face as Riku held his hand while they sat at the kitchen table. He heard Riku give a little huff of laughter and squeezed the brunet’s hand, lifting it up to his mouth to kiss the fingers gently. 

 

Sora’s grin widened even as Vanitas pretended to gag. 

 

“Aww, c’mon. Like you don’t wish you could do the same thing with Repliku?” Sora teased, poking one finger at the cheek of the darker haired boy. 

 

Vanitas... twitched. Just a sudden jerk of fingers and head movement, but it was the only warning Sora got to jerk his hand away before Vanitas tried to bite it off. 

 

Sora shrugged off the violent movement though, knowing that in the end, Vanitas was mostly bark and very little bite (literal or otherwise) these days. 

 

“Shut up...” the boy grumbled, rubbing at the spot where Sora touched his cheek. “I’m going to go see if Repliku’s up for sparring later this morning if you two are just gonna be...” He didn’t say exactly what he was thinking but his scrunched up facial expression said everything. Sora let out a giggle as he left, glad that Vanitas felt comfortable enough with them to not be too put off with his teasing. 

 

He turned to face a very confused Riku. 

 

“Wait...he... and Repliku?” the silver haired boy looked like he was trying to put the math together in his head and the answer just didn’t quite make sense. 

 

Sora laughed, “Aww c’mon, Riku. Not like they are being that subtle.” He kissed his boyfriend for good measure, lingering for a long moment before pulling away. 

 

Riku just huffed and wrapped his arms around Sora. “There you go... changing on me again. Definitely not as dense as you let on...” 

 

“Hmm... you love it.”

 

“Everyday...” 

 

They remained there in the kitchen till more people showed up for a late breakfast and they had to break away. Leon and Cloud started cooking eggs, teaching Vanitas how to crack an egg one handed, while Aerith and Yuffie showed Repliku how to set the table. Riku gave Sora a look and the brunet nodded, knowing what the silver haired boy wanted. 

 

“CID!” Sora yelled up the stairs, hoping that the older man was awake but also not really caring, “C’mon, you gotta cook bacon!”

 

“What?” the grouchy man replied, “Are you trying to eat me out of house and home?”

 

“Technically, it’s still Merlin’s house.” Riku muttered, dodging an elbow to the ribs from Sora. Encouraging Cid to make bacon was a very delicate process. 

 

“C’mon! You gotta make it! Repliku and Vanitas never had it before... you can’t deprive them of that...”

 

“You make it then!”

 

“But you’re the best...” Sora whined. 

 

1...2...

 

“Fine!” Cid shouted down the stairs, opening his door, “But you two gotta go get more. We don’t have nearly enough bacon in his house to feed all these teenagers.” 

 

Sora laughed and grinned triumphantly up at Riku’s own grin. He slipped into the kitchen where Leon was already pulling out munny for him and Riku to take to the store. 

 

Sora took his boyfriend’s hand as they left Merlin’s house, heading for the marketplace. 

 

The brunet may not know for sure what the future held, but for once, he didn’t feel as if he was forever chasing some unreachable goal. He had finally caught up to the horizon, where the sky met the earth. Now, he just had to take care not to fall over the edge. 

 

He felt a pressure on his hand and he looked up to Riku’s face, blue-green eyes fond and focused on his own. 

 

Of course. Even if he did, Riku would catch him. 

 

Always. 

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm posting this pretty late for me, and I am tired. I've edited and edited and edited, but if there is anything that is just making your eyes bleed tears for my spelling or grammatical nonsense, just let me know. 
> 
> Comments are more than welcome and make me enjoy writing, even if they are just to correct my awful grammar... or skipped words... or just bad spelling.


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